Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-02

ment of the courses of study, etc; they
will naturally suggest themselves to the
reader. The position of Professor David
son is not in conflict with that the oppo-
nents of manual training in public schools
have occupied. He does not, in fact, pro-
pose such introduction. What he does
contend for is new or modified system
for the public schools, and newly and
very thoroughly trained army of teachers.
With reformation of the system, the intro
duction of manual training becomes not
only possible, but not difficult When we
have objected to the lacking of the new
system upon the old, it has been because
the old or present does not afford any
margin for such attachment. The manual
training school for which this journal has
contended, is very nearly the common
school as it would be according to Pro-
fessor Davidson's system. Practical train
ing, as he well says, is but one branch of
education let us add, intellectual training
is but one branch of education. That sys-
TEN will be best, and viii eventually be
adopted that commingles the two.
A few evenings since thoughtful edu-
Gator of this city delivered himself in a
private critical circle of views in conso-
nance with those of Professor Davidson,
but whose essay had not then appeared.
In that delivery, this educator, of years
experience and high standing, argued
warmly for the abolition of formal gram
mar as study in all grades up to the pc
Rod when the mind is sufficiently matured
to take it up as a discipline; that is to
say, that language lessons, except as
naturally related to reading and writing,
and oral teaching should not be
touched earlier than say the second
grade, and in some cases not then. In
that essay startling statistics were cited to
show the ignorance concerning ordinary
practical things on the part of school chill
dren in great city. Thus very large
percentages, in some cases as high as half,
did not know the origin of wooden
things" whence wooden goods came, the
origin Of iron, linen and lead, of milk, but
ter and -four; knew nothing practical Of
sunrise Or sunset, of how wheels are oiled,
nails driven, tools sharpened, and so on
through an astonishingly long list.
In all this matter of reforming tAeschool
system and introducing manual training,
it must be borne in mind that it is far
easier to destroy than to build up mat
ter of ease to point the way, matter Of
difficulty to accomplish. The avoidance
of extremes Will give us in tine middle
ground, that will conserve both intellectual
and manual training. The final accom-
plishment will be such that does not lose
sight of the fact that mere skill is not
enough, but, as Davidson puts it, the new
education will be for all the faculties Of
the citizen.
When thenew system develops. as it must,
twill notdestroy the common school system
nor reject manual training. 1t win elimi-
nate very largely the formal textbooks
it viii give US teachers competent to con-
duct their classes if most of the textbooks
should by some calamity be destroyed /; ii
will co-relate the practical and theoretical
and place upon the list of optional courses
some that are now made essentials. II
will neither attempt to turn out skilled
workers, nor will it give to society those
wholly ignorant of manual ability. II
will not cut short the higher education Of
any neither will it neglect those for whom
manual training is of greatest concern. Ii
will eliminate from the public school sys-
TEN all teachers who maintain their places
by Influence" and the backing of the
textbook, and give us for such, those who
can establish their competency by their
work.